54 
these were surprisingly few in number, and the species taken can be 
numbered on the fingers of one hand. A butterfly that really loves the 
sun, and which has been christened the sun butterfly by the natives, is 
Morpho hecuba. It never flies unless the day is very hot and sunny, 
and then soars along, hardly moving its wings, at an altitude of some 
40 feet or so. 1 used to wait day after day for one to descend, but I 
never got even an outside chance of catching one. Members might 
be interested to know (and they will please forgive me if they are not) 
that a fine specimen of this species was recently sold by auction for 
eight and a half guineas. This must be strong evidence that the 
capture is very rarely effected. The species is far from rare in Guiana, 
as I must have seen a score of specimens, at least. If one of our ex¬ 
pert breeders of lepidoptera could obtain a brood of 300 or so from 
ova, perhaps he might be induced to retail them at a reduction of the 
odd half guinea! This species, unlike its blue relatives, could not be 
attracted with meat or rotten fruit, but unless one can obtain a whole 
carcase there is very little use in putting 41b. or 51b. out, as ants or 
birds of prey, and possibly some carnivorous animal, may finish it in 
a night. My most successful bait was a complete bunch of bananas, 
which, with the aid of a nigger, I managed to suspend from a tree by 
a rope. Caligos seemed to relish this especially. The bold eye-like 
marking on the underside, I fancy, must be a warning mark, as these 
insects invariably settle with their wings folded, generally on a bare 
tree trunk, showing the eye-mark in a most conspicuous manner. The 
Satyrids of the genera Pierella and Haetera were also much attracted 
to these bananas, but a difficulty in the capture of any of these was 
that the slightest touch knocked off the bananas from the rotten stem. 
However, this particular bunch accounted for some nice insects. I 
had hoped to be able to show you photographs of this bunch of bananas 
with insects in it, but my knowledge of the science of photography was 
not like the bananas, sufficiently ripe, and the films show a blank. 
One of the great difficulties to contend with in collecting in these 
forests is that there is practically no natural bait in the shape of 
flowers. When one does, however, find a tree in flower there are gene¬ 
rally Papilios, Erycinids, Lycaenids, and hummingbirds buzzing at it, 
and plenty of sport can be enjoyed. If one could only walk along the 
top of the forest instead of at the bottom one would have flowers in 
plenty, and with them their attendant fertilizers, the insects. Previously 
not a single species of the Hawk moths had been seen, but now the 
appearance of a Macroglossid was welcomed. It turned out to be the 
common Aellopus cicalas, but as I had never met with it before, and 
as the insect was tolerably plentiful in this one particular spot, plans 
were made for securing a series. The place where they occurred was a 
sort of green lane overgrown with weeds and coarse grass. Although 
visited at all times of the day, a specimen was never seen before 4 p.m., 
and about an hour later was the best time for them, so, with this 
knowledge gained, specimens could generally be secured, if a sufficient 
amount of dexterity was not wanting. The time of day at which 
certain insects appeared was most interesting. For the Syntmnidae, by 
far the best time was in the early morning, between eight and ten. 
It is well known that they are taken at all times of the day, and I have 
myself in Trinidad and elsewhere taken them in the afternoon, for 
instance, but certainly while in Guiana specimens were either taken 
